Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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Dear Editor, July 24, 2018: Trump quote “Just remember what you are seeing and what you are reading is not what is happening – just stick with us, don’t believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news.” Most of my information about Trump comes from one source – Trump himself. I watched his speeches live when possible and then did follow-up research on any claims he made. He lied many times to the American people. Trump said, “You’re not paying for those tariffs. China is paying for those tariffs.” Tariffs are picked up by the Ameri...
Dear Editor, We have a super Health Department - aren’t we lucky? I wish to add my voice to all those who have expressed gratitude to the Jefferson County Health Department for their tireless efforts to keep us all safe during this COVID pandemic. In addition, I have great appreciation and respect for our county health board and officer for issuing a mask directive for Jefferson County. Thanks for keeping us safe and focused on what is important – the health and safety of all residents. Bar...
Dear Editor, This is in response to the letter from the volunteer, Jefferson County Health Clinic, from the February 24, 2021 issue. After reading this letter, my first thought was, “why is this volunteer afraid to state their name?” Was it really a volunteer or could it have been the unelected officials at the Jefferson County Health Clinic attempting to push their agenda and mask mandate by assuming they alone know what is best for we, the people, and our entire county? Liberals often state, “my body, my choice”. So, a man and woman can the...
Dear Jo, Great paper again this week – I love reading it. My favorite person in the world is Patricia Ann DeBack, I call her “Mom”. She always tells me to make sure I wear clean underwear in case I get into an accident. My second favorite person is John Wayne, I call him “Duke”. He always said “A man’s got to have a set of codes, laws to live by. I won’t be wronged. I won’t be insulted. I won’t be laid a hand on. I won’t do these things to others and require the same of them.” My third favorite person is your editor, I think I will call her ...
Three percent of Earth’s land mass is comprised of islands, but 95 percent of all bird extinctions have occurred on them. Main cause: Mice and rats introduced by humans. Only 10 percent of the world’s islands are rodent-free, but a rodenticide called brodifacoum is changing that. On hundreds of treated islands recovery of native plants and wildlife has been swift and spectacular. Consider rugged, 1,450-square-mile South Georgia Island in the Subantarctic. Before mice and rats disembarked from whaling vessels it had been Earth’s richest seabi...
Last Friday when the Jefferson County mask mandate was made public, the Ledger was asked by several entities to get the news out in as many outlets as possible. In addition to adding the article as “Breaking News” on our website, I shared the article to many of our local Facebook classified sites dealing with Whitehall and surrounding areas. And, unfortunately, that is when all heck broke loose. Not only was the article shared dozens of times, but dozens of comments were made. Many were simply expressing opinion of the mandate, either for or ag...
Dear Editor, This is in response to Geri Dorvall’s letter from the February 17, 2021 Ledger Issue. In said letter is was stated that “no evidence of election fraud has been produced”. All anyone who wants and accepts the truth has to do is get on your computer and go to brighteon.com and search “Mike Lindel’s Full Election Theft Documentary”. All the evidence and proof of the 2020 election theft/fraud is contained in this documentary for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. Americans need to stop listening to the “lame” stream media and do...
Dear Editor: The staff at the Jefferson County Health Clinic is small and, for almost a year now, they have been overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of concern for others, they frequently work nights and weekends, without extra pay, to help keep our county healthy. Many people do not realize all the phone calls, paperwork, and data that goes into each new case. They did not ask for this burden, yet they have valiantly continued. Now they are also burdened with scheduling and giving vaccines for the people of the County. This has added...
Dear Editor, A rebuttal to last week’s remarks by Geri Dorvall in the February 17, 2021 issue of the Whitehall Ledger. Media misinformation truly is a real problem of our times. As an example, let’s look at the Capitol riots of January 6th. It was reported by the New York Times that Capitol Hill Police Officer Sicknick was killed in the Rotunda of the House of Representatives by a Trump supporter who beat him with a fire extinguisher. This was picked up by news outlets at a fever rate and loudly claimed over and over. On January 8th New Yor...
Dear Jo, I love my friends – all of them. I really do – but I have an issue with one friend in particular. This weekend we took a girls trip and there were eight of us altogether. Hence, four girls in each of the hotel rooms. We had our fun, came home late and everyone wanted to crash and sleep for the night. However, my bunkmate decided to get on Tinder instead, WITH the sound on. Soooo, every time she swiped right – a little bell went off. Every time she swiped left – a wah wah sound. She did this until three AM. At 6AM, she received a phone...
We are in a day and age where general knowledge is relayed daily via social media, and sometimes no where else. We receive important information via text message instead of phone calls, emails instead of in-person communications. Sometimes we hear the news from our neighbors, or our children, and it may be circumstantial at best. For the most part, this is all fine and dandy. It’s become the norm. But when it comes to major items of importance, we need to take into consideration what the item of information is and how the distribution of t...
Dear Editor, This is in response to Jim Buterbaugh’s letter from the February 3, 2021 Ledger issue. Glad to hear that you can’t forgive a mob attacking our Capitol with the intention of overturning an election and threatening to kill political leaders. Also known as an attempted coup. This was not a “group of Americans” who got carried away emotionally in the moment. They came armed with guns, bombs, hockey sticks, pepper spray, zip ties, and a noose. They killed a police officer; chanted “Hang Mike Pence”. Why? Because they lost the electio...
Dear Editor, Just had to let you know how happy I was with the changes you have made since you have acquired the Ledger newspaper. It’s the only paper I read aside from the Montana Senior NEws. It’s absolutely delighful to read stories about the local citizens - Laurel Ovitt and the gentlamn who grew up on the Salvagni Ranch. Happy to see a recipe again. It’s been a long time - love bread pudding! The article about the Naitonal debt was an eye opener. Happy to see the days of the calendar filled and your personal story. You’re doing a super j...
Dear Jo, Why am I not taking care of my hygiene? I never brush my teeth or even shower. Changing my clothes is a chore and shaving is an impossible task, just too overwhelming and exhausting. I just wear the same clothes over again and keep using spray. I never leave the house and I eat easy and unhealthy foods. Help! Signed, Alone and Stinky Dear Stinky, Hiding is the first word that comes to mind. It seems you are working hard to make sure no one wants to get too close. Try this: close your eyes and imagine you are standing in the...
I have lived in small towns most of my life – with my longest tenancy of over 20 years being in Whitehall. As I’ve said, I was a military brat who moved A LOT and we were always lucky to find small towns to live in, suburbs or subdivisions, that were just outside the “bigger” cities where my dad was stationed. I remember growing up knowing a few neighbors here and there, but we were never somewhere long enough to know the whole neighborhood, let alone the whole town. That is, until we moved to Whitehall, which is one of the things I love mo...
Dear Jo, So, have you ever looked up into the night sky at the stars and heavens and wondered if “we’re alone”? I’m here to tell you- WE ARE NOT! I’ve met someone and she or maybe he is just the person or thing for me. Do you think we can make it work? Signed, VERY Long Distance Relationship Dear Long Distance, I am assuming you are referring to the aliens, little green people, purple people eaters? Most people have trouble with relationships that span a few hundred miles, let alone a few hundred light years. My advice would be to keep your...
We all joke about what we need or want in life. Gosh, I’d love to win a million dollars! Dang, I wish I could see The Beatles play live just one time! Man, I wish I had paid attention more in school when I was young! Me? I NEED more time in a day. I WANT more time in a day. That’s all. If anyone can figure out how to do that for me, I’ll pay you a VERY pretty penny. Since taking over the newspaper January 1st, I have also been working my previous fulltime job. Before the paper I worked as a Project Manager for a very busy HVAC manuf...
Dear Editor, Do you hunt with out of state family and friends? Do you hunt private lands without an outfitter or guide? Have you been applying for a Missouri River Breaks or Elkhorns bull tag for every single year? If so, you better pay attention. SB 143, sponsored by Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, would turn the vast majority of non-resident big game licenses offered in Montana to “outfitter sponsored” tags favoring hunters with money who use outfitters. It would also create landowner licenses, and require that one quarter of special per...
With this being my “official” second paper, I’ve got to admit – not much has changed from when I worked here over a decade ago with Greg Corr. Greg and I shared the majority of the work, both of us writing and designing ads as needed, so that part isn’t different from my previous stint. However, what’s hit me the hardest this week is something I never thought of, something I wasn’t prepared for, and something I doubt I ever will be prepared for. And frankly, something I will never be able to keep a poker face on. Receiving and reading, then edi...
Without trying to sound too much like Lord Eddard Stark on "Game of Thrones", winter is coming in southwest Montana and its pending arrival has already brought the return of nasty roads to the Treasure State. Last weekend morning served as a preview of what is to come as many parts of Interstate 90 and local highways turned into in icy and snowy mess, especially over bridges. And it is still October. This is always the time of year that it is important to remember slow down and drive cautiously...
During her monthly report at the October 13 Whitehall Town Council meeting, Mayor Mary Janacaro Hensleigh urged local voters to approve a mill levy that would generate funding for the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Department and for the contract with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. She also reminded local residents the Town of Whitehall has not asked for a general mill levy increase since the 1970s. For those who have yet to mail or drop off their ballots for the November 3 election, t...
If you happened to read the Albuquerque Journal recently you would have learned about a family who used their (galloping) goats to gobble up weeds and earn some extra money while keeping the city's weeds and grass trimmed. In the Orlando Sentinel, you would have discovered that a man was attacked and bitten by an alligator while hunting near one of the local lakes. Neither of these stories are life-and-death issues, unless you happen to be the hunter, but they provide interesting glimpses into...
Since the middle of March, there have been numerous activities cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19. The start of the high school sports season has also seen very restricted attendance guidelines in Jefferson County. While it is very unfortunate many family members and students will not be able to cheer on the Trojans, this Saturday and Sunday will give local residents the opportunity to cheer on a very talented group of athletes at the 2020 Whitehall High School and Junior High Rodeo. The annual event is moving forward with open attendance,...
I often find myself writing about technology and how I am kind of in this never-ending loop of it driving me crazy while at the same time being an absolute necessity in my life. A perfect example of this would be last Tuesday evening when I had to use my phone to record a county commission meeting. It’s a very convenient thing to be able to not have to attend everything in person and it is even better to be able to fast forward when somebody will not stop rambling – saying the same things about the same issue. As happy as I was to be able to...
Over the past few weeks, I've heard numerous reports of campaign signs and flags being vandalized and unfortunately, this is something that seems to happen all the time. In the paper a few weeks ago, there was a story about a local resident who helped to replace a sign that had been vandalized and while this was a feel-good story, she really shouldn't have ever been placed in that situation. Now perhaps more than ever before, politics has divided the residents of the United States and the...
